Unwoven reinforced fabric.



E. D. G. BAYNE & L. A. SUBERS. UNWOVEN REINFORCED FABRIC.

APPLTGATION FILED APR. 20, 1,908.

Patented Nov. 23, 1909.

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- Bsrxsand Lawnnxci; A. Si'nnns, citizens of vide an nnwoven reinforced fabric of a aforesaid fabric without reducing its actual tially this characterthe improved reinforced sutlicient to prevent actual' contact of the each cord or thread and thereby composing 1 unwovnn nnmsoacan FABRIC.

stoma.

Application filed April so,

To all whom it may concern:

Be, it; known that we. Erosxn D. C.

the l nited States, and residents of Cleve land, in the county of Cuyahoga. State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in [*nwo'vcn Reinforce-d Fabric, of which we declare the following to be a full, clear and exact description. such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The objects oi the inrention are to prosiniilar character to the fabric described in an allowed application for Letters Patent of the United States. bearing Serial No. 370,139, filed April 25th, 1907, in which an unwoven fabric composed entirely of fibrous cords or threads and rubber is described, and in which each fibrous cordor thread comprises a plural number of fibrous strands, each'strand previously coated with rubber before winding or twisting and each cord or thread coated with rubber after winding or twistin and the coated cords or threads laid in para lel rows in layers of cords or threads withthin coatings adhering together in close contact, the several rubber coatings being individual threads andstrands in the com-' )letcd fabric. By means of this forinof construction the coi'npleted fabric when vul- "anized is characterized by extreme durability, flexibility and resistance to tension in. s

the direction in which the threads are laid and strelwth is obtained 'in more than one direction. )y changing the direction of laying the thread in alternate layers to cross each other at any desired angle.

This invention is designed to provide for a greater strength, durability and .ctliciency of the fabric than can be obtained by the flexibility and the result is obtained by introducing a reinforcing central strand into each thread substantially as shown and described in our previous application for Letters Patent of the l nitcd States. for min forced cord or thread, bearing Serial No. M1960. Front cordslor. threads of substantabric is made.

The fabric is formed of unwoven cords or Specification 0t Letters Patent.

mos. semi no. teams. 3

threads composed of previously coated reviously of great fibrous strands. and a central coated preferably metallic stran tensile strength and fineness, so as not to diminish its flexibility. The fibrous strands are wrapped or twist racemes new; 2a was;

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ed about the central metallic strand in such a manner as to completely inclose it, and to so thoroughly incorporate it among the tibrousistrands that no amountof bending or folding of the cord or thread will resultin the protrusion or cuttin out of the metal.

lleretofore it has often been attempted to insert a metallic shield or woven wire racertain fabrics, such asautornobile tires or other fabrics subject to abrasion or puncture,- bntzthe inclosure of metallic plates or rods or netting within a yieldingsnbstance such as rubber and fiber has invariably resulted in the gradual cutting by the metal through the substance of the envelop, and the protrasion'of the metal in sucha manner as to do; stroy the etliciency of the fabric.

()ne of the import-ant features of this invention thereforeis to permit of-the incororation with the fabric of a relat iyely arge percentage of metallic element to resist puncture and abrasion and to increase greatly the tensile strength of the "fabric without injury to the I"abr1 c;and 1f tubular to increase 'its resistancefio lnternal pressure and at the same'time to so distribute equally the metallic element throughout, all parts of the fabric by enveloping it 1!: each separate cord or thread so that the metallic ele-- ments will be. flexible and thoroughl incorporated with the separated co:- 5 or 1 thi-cads composing the fabric and be therefore incapable of breaking through or separating the strands, cords or threads at) an point or lessening the durability thereo, but on the contrarygreatly an nts the etliciency and durability of the fa ric.

The process of forming the fabric may be. described as follows: The "individual strands previously coated are wound or twisted'upon a coated central metallic strand sue as a time steel wire specially prepared to resist any reviously chemical action of the coating and the cora pleted cord or thread is subsequently coated with a distinct envelop prefer-ably of the sands material with which the strands are coated.

The Wrapping of the fibrous strands is close and tight about the wire so that no portion of the wire, when the cord or thread is completed, is exposed and an additional wrapping of coated strands at a ditterent angle may be placed over the. first wrapping it it is desired to form a larger cord or thread.

It is obvious that by varying the size oi the central wire and wrapping strands that a cord or thread of any desired diameter or weight can be produced.

The threads are then laid in the same manner as described in said 1- revious a ppli-.

cation for non-reinforced fabric, and the forms of the device employed in wrapping the fibrous strands about the central wire strand to form a cord or thread and the manner of forming the fabric from parallel cords or threads ar 'anged in layers crossing each other to obtain tensile strength in more than one direction are illustrated in-the accompanying drawings, hereinafter described and specifically pointed out in the claims.

4 is a transverse section (enlarged) of the finished cord or thread; Fig. 5 is an elevation of a piece of tubular tabric formed from the reinforced cords or threads: and Fig. 6 is a plan view of a flat piece of fabric similarly formed.

A detailed description of the automatic devices for coating the strands and cord orthread is given in an application for Letters Patent thereon filed in connection herewith 'and hence need not be given herein. It is 'suFficient to say that. 1, 1 are spools of fibrous strands, 9. is a spool of wire or other reinforcing material mounted upon a suitable support 3, el a rotatable plate perforated centrally to form a guide for the wire, and in a circle thereabout, perforated at 5, 5, to form guides for the strands to be w 'apped or twisted about the wire. These fibrous and wire strands pass through a bath (S of the non-fibrous coating substance such as rubber and then pass throtigb a combined rotating twister, guide and applicator inihe bottom thereof at 6, ti, and then through a correspondingly erforated plate 7. which all rotate at a pret etermined rate of speed so as to wrap or twist the coated-fibrous strands about the coated wire in the required number of strands to the inch. The speed being determined by the relative size of the strands, and by the relative diameter and weight of a cord or thread. and designed t form a closely and tightly wound fibrous wrapping or sheath to preventihe wire from cutting its way out.

The coatings are dried by means of air blasts conducted asshown through flaring mouthed tubes 8, 8 and the cord or thread is then draw-n through one or more baths or applicators supplied with rubber, as shown at J, and having a single central opening.

.The exterior coating thereby applied is compressed and shaped into a substantially c lindricz l form by means of rollers it) and it after having been sutlici'ently dried to solidify the rul-)bcr to required degree. by means tual contact with each other and the outer coating Z forms with these separate coatings a homogeneous mass enveloping all the strands and adapted to separate the adjacentcords or threads when laid-in the tabrics, from actual contact with each other and thus preserve them, thus preventing the cords or threads and their component strands, from subbing upon and abrading each other, or exercising frictional action of any sort on each other.

The fabric i't' cylindrical is preferably formed upon a mandrel as shown in Fig. 5 and one layer Z is laid of parallel thra ds longitudinally and the next Y transversely and so on to the required thickness.

ilternating layers may be laid at; ditl'erent angles if desired so as to increase the tensile strength in all directions and prevent irregularities in laying the thread from tori'ning openings.

The cords or threads may be laid in tlat; layers as shown in the next Fig. 6, to form sheets or belts of fabric and any desirable outer covering may be employed. 1 i

The several cords or threads and layers are connected together by means of the ad hesion of their coatings and the final process of vulcanizing completes a homogenous product, characterized by extreme flexibility and being without Friction among its component strands. cords or threads is more durable under all kinds of strain and tlexure.

The coatings C for each strand separate the strands out. of ac-' seen-7a It will be observed that layers of the reinforced fabric may be used in connection together and with vulcanizable'rubber or other plastic and elastic material without weaving, and in sucha manner as to utilize the full strength of the metallic element Without. accumulating the metal to a disadvantageous degree at any one point, but attenuating and thoroughly distributing and incorporating the metallic element through- 'out the fabric which maintains the flexibil-' it' v.and increases the tensile strength thereof.

It is obvious that the central reinforcing strand may be a .ceutral fibrous strand adapted to increase the tensile strength of each cordor thread and beingperfectly straight will lessen the tendency of the finished cord or thread to stretch, and assist in giving cohesion and shape thereto.

The strength of the finished cord or thread is greatly augmented by the friction of ,lheoutcr strands upon the central reint'orcingstrand. which-opposes a strong resistant-e to any movement Whatever-of the outer strands thcreon, such as would be caused by longitudinal strains, which would lend to elongate the spirally twisted or wrapped strands.

An important advantage derived from the use of the reinforced strand is found in the resistance of each cord or thread and consequentlv the entire fabric to stretching, since the central strand isstraight relatively to the spirally wound or wrapped exterior strands. and the strength of each cord or thread is greatly increased thereby.

When a central fibrous strand is employed in connection with outer fibrous stranus,

the tensile strength is increased about onelitth over that of a cord or thread in which the rclativelystraight central strand is not employed.

The aggregate breaking strain of all the fibrous strands which envelop the central metallic strand should preferably be greater than that of the breaking strain of the metallic strand, so as to cause all the strands comprising the thread to break together, for the reason that the outer strands are not twisted together, but are wrapped or twisted about the central strand and hence are not ric, as for belting, or tubular structures such as hose pipe are obtained, which will not stretch perceptibly and will also be characterized. with greatfiexibility and durability inuse.

The thickness of'the coatings may be varied at pleasureao suit the circumstances of each case. It may merely be stated that if the coatings are too thick the strength of the fabric is reduced and ifnot sufiicientl-y thick the act of vulcanizingz will almost remove them-so that the strands and cords or threadswill not be sufliciently out of contact with eii'h other; a medium treatment therefore is preferable. Having described the inventionWhat we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: u

'1. A reinforced fabric made, ofa layer of parallel threads laid closely together and a superimposed layer of parallel threads arranged traiisversely to the threads of the strands havinga coating thereon, of elastic,

non-fibrous material said coatings being adhesive to join the threads together, said threads when laid in said fabric separated by adhesive coatings adapted to join .the threads together and sutliciently thick to maintain them out of contact with each other.

2. A reinforced fabric made of alterna inc; layers oflparallelwrapped threads, each thread comprising a group of united metallic and fibrous strands, and arranged longitudinally and transversely therein, the threads in one layer crossing the threads in alternate layers at an angle, each strand being coated Witha flexible, non-fibrous ma-. terial, and the fibrous strands wrapped around the metallic strand, and each thread when laid in the fabric separated from adjoining threads by a coating of vu-lcanizahle material, said coatings being adhesive to join the strands to one another and to join the threads and layers together.

3. A reinforced fabric made of a layer of lon itndinally extending threads and superimposed layers of alternately transversely and longitudinally extending threads, the threads in each layer'eoitiprising united metallic and fibrous strands, .each strand having a coating thereon of non-fibrous material prising a layer of parallel spirally disposed threads. and a layer of longitudinally disposed threads. the threads of each layer ('(Hll- I prising strands of fibrous material united together. each strand ha ring a coating of nonthickness to place said strands and threads out of actual contact with each other.

A reinforced fabric comprising coated threads adhering together. some of the threads"composed of metallic coated strands and coated fibrous strands wrapped thereom and some of the threads composed wholly of coated fibrous strands adhering together. the said threads being laid in layers alternately longitudinal a'ndtransverse the said coatings being non-fibrous. elastic and \ulcanizable.

U. A reinforced fabric composed of an woven adhering threads, the said threads comprising each a central reinforcing coated strand and exterior coated fibrous strands, and the threads and strands coated with nonlibrous. flexible material the said coatings being adhesive and vulcanizable whereby said strands are attached together, the said coatings ope 'at'ing to separate said threads and strands out of actual contact with each other. i

In testimony whereof we h reunto setour hands this 18th day of April IUUH.

Inpresenco of- A. T. ()snonx, L. L. Stn'rn. 

